I'll be hosting a small party with heavy hor d oeuvres in a couple of weeks. Three of my guests (a mother and her two teenaged sons) are celiacs. I know that means the food they eat should be gluten-free. I also saw a comment on this board yesterday about not even letting a single crumb get mixed into their foods. I'm going to ask her what her boys' favorite finger foods are, but I don't want to grill her too much about what is allowed, etc. So I was hoping to get some ideas, tips, and advice from the resident experts on here.

Is it okay if some of the food served is not gluten-free (such as a tray of crackers and cheese, some pig-n-blankets, etc.) I could put them on a separate table or counter if necessary.

My niece has celiac disease, and we've found that simpler is better for her. Corn chips and salsa. Guacamole. Raw veggies and dip. Gluten can be hidden in unlikely places. For instance, my niece can't have licorice. Who would have thought? Soy sauce or teriyaki sauce is another no-no. Also, you must guard against cross-contamination by using separate utensils, serving bowls, etc.

People will have varying opinions on whether the entire party should be gluten-free. In our family, anything with gluten stays separate from the rest of the spread, so there's no danger of crumbs falling into the GF dish. I will caution you on one thing. As someone who's not accustomed to GF foods, I've never been able to enjoy GF bread. To me, it's crumbly and tasteless. So I personally wouldn't serve little tea sandwiches on GF bread. I'd probably forego the tea sandwiches.